Lousal mine

Lousal is a place in the Freguesia Azinheira dos Barros e São Mamede do Sadao in the western part of the county Grândola (Portugal). The place was known by a pyrite mine in the Pyrite Belt of südiberischen peninsula, which was first opened in 1900 and in 1928 the company SAPEC, which took over the exploitation of the pyrite mine in Aljustrel changed. In 1988 the mine was closed.

The place has since then have high unemployment and suffering from the social misery. Today there is a mining museum. For this complex now includes a mine and a hotel restaurant, as well as a local center for crafts and art objects. Since 2000, the project received funding from the European Community and therefore the local people offer jobs that have gone largely lost due to the closure of the mine. Next to the village there is a reservoir. On a hill on the outskirts is the megalithic monument of Monte do Lousal.

Environment

In Lousal the ecological situation after the mine closure is still unclear. Nobody took over the restoration of the environment damaged and contaminated, and still there are lakes with toxic sulfur- containing wastes directly in place.

Gallery

Mine Museum Lousal

Environmental damage of the Mina de Lousal